How Dick Stole Her Heart
by ghostworld
Summary: AU.It's supposed to be a season filled with love, compassion, and happiness. What is one to do for the holidays... when your friends abandon you? And you're stuck with your parents? or are flying solo? This is a MaDi fic, some LoVe. Chapt. 6 finally up!
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

A/N: This is a little holiday fic. AU. Set a couple of months after Season 2. Keith didn't get her plane tickets; but instead, got her a new car, the Saturn.

A/N2: Don't worry I haven't forgotten about my other fics. They will be updated before or by Sunday. I apologize for any grammatical errors. I really hope you enjoy!

Veronica was walking out of her criminology class. She had just taken her last final. School was finally over for winter break. She was relieved to say the least. She certainly needed a break from everything that had happened that year. She was deep in thought when somebody sneaked up behind her and placed their hands on her waist securely.

"Hey gorgeous, how about we blow this joint?" Whispered a husky voice into her ear before he started nibbling on her earlobe.

She smirked, "I agree. We should leave before my boyfriend sees us. He's an obligatory psychotic jackass but is known for his jealous streak." She responded teasingly.

"Then we should definitely hurry…" He stated picking up his pace.

"Why?" She asked curiously.

This time he smirked, "Because…" he leaned down kissing that spot on her neck that made her melt, "my girlfriend might be an annoying blonde but a heck of a prying sleuth. She'll know what we're up to if we don't move fast."

Veronica stopped abruptly causing him to bump into her. She turned around slowly while tilting her head to the side and pouted.

He gave her his irresistible 'Logan Echolls smirk' before he captured her lips with his.

When they parted for air he placed his forehead against hers. "I have an early Christmas present for you." But before she could respond he kissed her again this time a bit more passionately.

Veronica pulled away, "Logan, you really shouldn't have."

"Oh, but I did. Before you say anything, I already spoke to papa Mars and he agreed with me."

"Wait, you talked to my dad?" She asked confused.

"Yes. Here."

_Veronica takes the envelope and feels it up and down. She shakes it. She smells it. _Logan _smiles at her. Veronica jumps up and down with childish glee. "A pony?"_

_She opens the envelope and pulls out airline tickets. She reads them. "New york?"_

Logan looks at her and smirks, _"We leave Tuesday?"_

Veronica is now very excited, _"Broadway, Soho, the MOMA?" _She_ jumps into his arms to hug him, "Oh, thank you so much. This is awesome."_

"I knew you'd love it! We a whole week all to ourselves before your dad joins us."

"My dad is joining us?" Veronica asked a bit amazed.

"Yup, he said something about; _Yankee Stadium, Shea Stadium, _and_ Madison Square Gardens_. He also mentioned something about us having separate rooms."

Veronica gave him a devious smile, "What daddy doesn't know won't hurt _you_." She began kissing that sensitive spot on his neck before he could protest.

Meanwhile, at the Mackenzie Residence.

"Cindy, honey, please open the door." Natalie requested outside her daughters bedroom.

Mac rolled her eyes. All she wanted was to spend winter break locked up in her room. She didn't feel like doing anything. She got up from her bed to open the door.

Natalie walked quickly into a room, "Honey, the therapist just called…" Mac seriously wanted to avoid this conversation. Ever since the incident at the Grande life seemed to pass in slow motion. Things seemed less important. Her mom took her to a therapist a couple of days after the funeral.

She sat down on the bed next to her, "We both agreed that you need an extracurricular activity." Worry was clear in her voice.

Mac felt bad. She really did but nobody really understood how she felt. Well, of course except for one person, but he too was beginning to give up. "Mom, I'm fine. Really, I am." She gave her a sly smile.

Natalie gently rubbed her back, hoping it would be comforting and soothing, "I took the liberty of signing you for volunteer work at Neptune Memorial Hospital for the holidays."

"Mom, how coul-" Mac let out standing up clearly frustrated.

Natalie cut her off, "Before you continue I want you to give it a chance. You'll be working with kids. You have the orientation meeting tomorrow morning at eleven. Please, do this. At least, give it one chance and if you don't like it you can stop, okay?"

"Fine." Was all she could say. Her mom gave her a quick kiss on the forehead, "I love you, honey." With that she walked out of the room.

TBC…

Reviews make me very happy! I like hearing what you guys have to say. You know what to do...


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

A/N: I'm sorry for the delay on this chapter. I will be updating my other stories later this week. No beta, all mistakes are mine. I hope you guys enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 1:

_Flashback_

_(The beginning of the semester.)_

_Mac is in bed. There's a banging at the door. Dick's voice drifts in._

"_C'mon, Parker. Why you wanna be like that, girl?"_

_Mac gets out of bed and walks slowly to the door_

"_It's the right time of the night. It's the right time of the night for making..."_ she heard him say from the other side of the door.

_Mac opens the door_

"_...love." _Dick finished with a smug smile on his face that was soon obliterated from his features when he saw who was standing on the other side of the door.

_Dick, who's drunk, and Mac, who's horrified, stare hard at each other_

"_Parker's out somewhere with the Unwashed. I'll tell her that Needs Hosed Down dropped by."_ Mac said fed up with the uncomfortable silence they held just moments ago.

_Dick gives her a sneer. Mac starts to close the door but pauses on Dick's response_

"_My little brother never cared about you, you know? You were just his beard." _Dick wasn't sure what compelled him to say it, but he did. The words spilled out of his mouth before he couldn't stop them. They were poisonous and he knew they stung.

_Mac stares at him, but is saved any need to retort by the appearance of her dorm's resident advisor, who comes out into the hall from another room_

The angry R.A. came out of the room shouting at Dick, "_Hey, you! What's your name? You're not supposed to be here."_

_Dick plays the fool._

" _Isn't this the boys' floor? Oh, gosh, I am so lost. I'm just a dumb freshman who wandered onto the wrong floor. Wow! Campus is so confusing. Thanks for understanding. I'm just gonna show myself out"_

_Dick starts to walk away. Mac looks out to watch, still crushed by his words_

"_Lemme see your school ID" _The R.A. demands.

"_We're supposed to have IDs? See, I don't know anything. College had got me plumb flustered."_

_He turns away again, exiting post haste_

"_Goodnight, ladies."_

_Mac stands at her door, staring after him, looking like she wants to be sick._ Those words were harsh. It felt as though somebody poured salt on very fresh and deep wounds, one's in her heart.

As soon as she shut the door, tears began to cascade down her face, this had been a heck of an emotional rollercoaster, but this was the icing on the cake. It was hard enough to find out the one person you really cared about turned out to be the complete opposite of what you thought. To make matters worse, he was a murderer, rapist, and a coward who committed suicide. That the only reason he stayed with you or even dated you was to prove to himself and the world that he really was a man. The truth was that he wasn't.

Mac cried herself to sleep the night; at least, the couple of hours she was actually able to sleep.

At the Neptune Grand later that night.

Dick felt a lot if shame, but anger overpowered any other emotion he might have felt at that particular moment. Anger at himself for what had just happened with a very broken girl. As he waited patiently in the elevator to reach its destination he kept banging his head against its walls. Sometimes he could be so stupid. Today would be a perfect example of that.

Tears were streaming down his face but he didn't care at least not anymore. He felt like shit, after all he had probably broken _her_ even more or destroyed whatever was left. He felt worthless.

He slowly walked towards Logan's suite dragging each foot across the carpet. He wipes his face with his hand but the tears tracks are still visible. He hadn't been to this hotel since that night; it still gave him the creeps, it was the last time _he_ was alive, where _he_ confessed all his sins. That dreadful night, in which many lives were shattered in a blink of an eye, including his.

He stood there in the hallway debating whether or not to knock on the door. He knocked halfheartedly once or twice.

_As he walks towards the door of the suite, Logan throws the toothbrush onto the couch. He opens the door and comes to a halt. It's Dick. His face looks like a punchbag. He is dishevelled and in somewhat of a state. His breathing is ragged_

"_I don't have anywhere else to go. Truth is, I've been kicked out of on-campus housing." _Dick refuses to look at Logan instead his full attention is at his shoes. 'For punching that stupid R.A., after he followed me down the hallway still demanding an I.D.'

"_Yeah, hey, it's all right, I...you can stay here"_

_Logan jerks his head, beckoning Dick in but Dick doesn't move. He starts to cry. Logan goes to him and puts a hand on his shoulder_

"_I messed up bad."_ Dick mumbles between tears. 'I hurt the only person in this world who might actually understand me. Understand what I'm going through…'

_Logan examines his face intently for a moment_

"_It's gonna be okay."_ Logan is truly shocked by Dick's confession but still tries to comfort his long time friend. He had never seen him like that, so broken.

_Dick starts to cry harder. Logan pulls him into a hug_

"_Come here."_

_They stand in the hall, Dick sobbing in Logan's arms_

_End Flash back._

(The end of the semester.)

Veronica had a week to plan everything for the trip including packing. There were a couple of things she wanted to do before she left; for example, spend quality time with her three BFF's.

Veronica was walking through Hearst College looking for Mac they were supposed to meet in the quad area before lunch. She spotted a crowd of females in the quad area protesting about animal cruelty with a few males. That is when she noticed her red streaked hair friend towards the middle of the crowd.

She approached her quietly, "_Women. Bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch."_

_Mac grins without turning around_ She had recognized the voice immediately but decided it would be a lot more fun to play along, "_Why can't they just look pretty and get their MRS degrees?"_

"_Hmm" __Veronica_ replies as she_ moves around to stand next to Mac. "__How's tricks, kid?"_

Mac turns to look at her petite friend, "_Shrink asked if a lifetime without a libido was such a bad thing. I think she's given up on me." _She shrugged her soldiers.

Veronica placed her hand on her shoulder and gave it a little squeeze before she replied, "_You just need more time." _Mac simply nodded. Veronica thought it was best to change the subject; Mac would talk whenever she's ready, besides it was still painful for her to talk about it. All she knew was that when her friend was ready to talk she'd be there for her no matter how many wounds it reopened.

"Wallace called; he said he was done with his final. We should probably head to his room to begin packing. Where were you earlier today I called you but it went straight to voicemail?"

Mac and Veronica had begun walking towards the dorms.

"…" Mac took a deep breath before she answered, "My parents and the shrink both feel I've been really detached from everything and everyone, that I need an extracurricular activity, to keep me busy."

"What _exactly_ did they have in mind?" Veronica asked skeptically.

Mac gave her a wry smile, "I'm volunteering at Neptune Memorial Hospital. That is why I didn't answer my phone earlier today, I was in the orientation. It didn't seem that bad. I am going to be working with kids."

"Sounds like fun." Veronica let out a sigh. "Can you believe it? Logan, Dick, and Wallace decided to move in together."

"Are you kidding! I still can't believe Wallace befriended Logan."

Veronica playfully punched Mac on the shoulder and stuck out her lip in mock pout.

TBC…

A special Thanks to :

**jillianfish**- I agree with you, I don't think it's their relationship is something that can be rushed. I hope you aren't disappointed with this chapter.

**xosummerxo**- I'm glad you liked it!

**zagreb girl**- I'm glad you found it ineresting.

**sara**- I'm glad you found it interesting.

**tatsuki uotani**- You will have to continue reading to find out how he stills her heart. You might be on the right path?!

**darkangel1910**- Some interesting things are yet to come...

**divine one**- I'm glad you are happy.

**nic.heart.movies**- I'm really glad you are liking this fic.

**iluvvm**- I'm glad you are finding this interesting!

**You guys rock! Thank you all for commenting! They make my day and inspire to write. :OD**

**Like always, let me know what you think! Review...**


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

A/N: Sorry, for the delay. All grammatical errors are mine. I really hope you enjoy!

Chapter 2:

"Ouch! To be honest with you, I can believe Logan and Wallace became friends. I mean they did become close after doing that experiment for their class. What strikes me is the fact that Wallace agreed to move in with _Dick_?" Mac pondered.

Veronica smiled slightly at her friend, "Wallace and Logan did become friends. Logan wasn't going to leave Dick behind… his like his brother. Besides, they will have their own room in very separate sides of the house. It can't be that bad, can it?" Veronica said pouting.

"We'll find out soon enough won't we?" Mac grinded broadly.

"Come on, we have to go see a guy about some boxes." Veronica said putting her arm around Mac's shoulder.

Once they reached Wallace's dorm, Mac asked, "Are you ready to do this?"

Veronica took a deep breath, "Ready, as I'll ever be."

They both laughed. They were about to open the door when it suddenly flung open.

"Ve-veronica, how are y-you?" Piz stuttered out.

"Good. You?" Veronica said poking her in to see if Wallace was there yet.

Mac looked at him disbelievingly, "Oh, hey Mac! How are you? Oh, I'm fine. Thanks for asking Stosh."

He cringed when he heard his name, "Sorry, how are you, Mac?" Piz asked turning his attention towards her.

Mac just walked in right past him, "Is Wallace here?"

"Yeah, he just stepped outside said something about needing tape or something like that." He replied shrugging his shoulders.

Veronica sat on Wallace's bed next to Mac.

♪ I hear the bells/ They are like emeralds, and/ Glints in the night/ Commas and ampersands/ Your moony face/ So inaccessible/ Your inner mind/ So inexpressible ♪

"Hey babe, are you guys almost done over there?"

Veronica smiled, "Sorry honey bunch, we are barely going to start. Don't worry I brought reinforcements. So, we can do this faster."

"How did you con Mac into helping?"

"Hey!" She protested. "She is simply doing it out of the goodness of her heart."

Logan laughed, "What are we getting her for dinner?"

"She hasn't decided yet and some new software for her computer." She said in one breath.

"Oh, before I forget I need some help choosing a couple of things I'm still missing. I have to go Dick is having some problems bringing in a big box. I miss ya'"

"Me too."

"I'll see you in a couple of hours."

"Okay, see you then."

Piz had been listening to the whole conversation very intently. "You have plans later?" He asked off handedly.

Veronica looked at him quizzically, "Yeah."

"Hey ladies, have you been waiting long? Sorry, but I forgot to get the tape so I had to go get some." Wallace said as he walked in.

"Kinda." Replied Mac.

Veronica added, "Logan called asking if we were done. I told him we had reinforcements so we should finish before schedule."

It took them exactly two hours to pack everything up and to head towards Wallace's new home.

The house was gorgeous. It had a beautiful view, was very spacious, but most importantly was right on the beach.

"Honey, I'm home!" Yelled Veronica as she entered the house with Wallace and Mac right behind her.

"Upstairs, bobcat!" Logan called out.

Veronica and Wallace went upstairs while Mac walked through the rest of the house. The first room was labeled Wallace; he went in to check it out. Veronica continued to walk down the hall passing a couple of spare rooms until she reached the last room.

"What do you think?" Logan asked excitedly.

Veronica looked around the whole room amazed, "It's beautiful."

"I'm glad you like it." He began approaching her, "And I haven't shown you the best part." He walked her out to the balcony.

"You are right this is the best part!"

He smiled, "That's not what I was talking about. Look, down there." He pointed in the direction he wanted her to see.

"A pool house?" She inquired.

He simply nodded.

"What about it?" Curiosity getting the better of her.

"Mars, you're loosing your touch." He looked at her disbelievingly.

Veronica thought about it for a second, "Is that Dick's?"

"Yup."

Veronica turned around and hugged him as hard as she could. "This is wonderful."

"He has his own entry way through the side so he won't wake anybody up when he gets home late." Logan waggled his eyebrows at her.

Veronica pulled him down for a very passionate kiss and smiled against hi lips.

Mac entered the entertainment/game room; she was mesmerized by all the equipment and gadgets they had. She began going through their game selection, but stopped abruptly when she heard his voice.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Dick asked before he could stop himself. He hadn't seen her since that night at the dorms.

Mac froze completely, wanting the earth to swallow her whole, to make him disappear, but it was useless.

"…Wallace." Was all she managed to say.

He nodded and left the room.

Dick didn't know what compelled him but as soon as he entered the pool house he began drinking. 'I can't be here right now. She's out there which means I will bump into her at least once more. Fuck this! I'm out!'

He finished off the bottle of JD, grabbed his keys, and headed out the door to his truck.

He was breaking every speed limit possible and running every single red light; he was going to do all he could to get away from her any way he could.

That's when it happened; the lights began to flash and the sound of sirens went off.

Dick pulled over.

TBC…

Let me know what you thought!


	4. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

A/N: Sorry, for the long delay. I have been super busy with school and work. All grammatical errors are mine, no beta. I really hope you all enjoy!

Very important: There's a scene in this chapter were things get pretty heated. If you are uncomfortable don't read. You've been warned!

Chapter 3:

Sacks got out of the cruiser and walked towards Dick's truck. "Do you know why I pulled you over?"

"Just give me the fucking ticket so I can be on my way, Sacks. I don't have time for your shit!." He looked up to glare up at him.

Sacks noticed his eyes and pointed his flashlight at him, "Have you been drinking today, Casablancas?"

"What if I have?" Dick countered.

"Step out of the vehicle."

Dick kept his gaze on him without moving a muscled.

"Step out of the vehicle!" Sacks said a bit more forcefully.

"I can't because you are blocking the door."

Sacks moved away from the door allowing Dick to open so he could get out.

"Turn around and place both your hand on top of your truck."

Dick did what he was told while Sacks patted him down; he was checking to see if he had anything contraband on him.

He was clean.

"I want you-"

"Sorry, to break it to you, but I don't swing that way. I'm all about the ladies."

Sacks got pissed, "Stay there." He walked back to this car and took out the breathalyzer. "Here. One nice breath."

Dick did what he was told once more.

"Looks, like someone's had a little too much to drink."

"So, what! If I did!" Dick continued.

Sacks leaned in and gave him a shove, "Don't raise your voice at me."

"Don't push me!" Dick yelled shoving him back.

That was the last straw, Sack read Dick the Miranda Rights, as he hand cuffed him. "You are going downtown." Sack said pushing him into the back of the cruiser.

"Fuck!" muttered Dick.

Back at the beach house.

Wallace had left to drop Mac off at home leaving Veronica and Logan all alone.

"What do you say we christen our bedroom?" Logan asked suggestively.

Veronica turned to look at him, she quirked an eyebrow, "I say, you have to catch me first!" She took off running upstairs.

"I love a challenge." Logan responded before going after her.

Being twice her size it wasn't hard catching up. What was hard was keeping up, even with her shorter legs, she was quick.

Exhausted from all the running Veronica flopped down on Logan's bed.

Logan entered a couple of minutes after her. "No where to go, Ronniekins."

Veronica grinned, "Come and get me."

He didn't have to be asked twice. Once he reached her, their lips crashed, Veronica pulled him down on top of her.

Her arms were around his neck while her fingers massaged his scalp.

Logan moaned into her mouth. He had a hand tightly around her waist and the other roamed down her leg, making sure to place them around his waist.

The kiss started to get more heated as Logan lowered his mouth to her neck and started sucking on her pulse point. This time it was Veronica's turn to moan.

Veronica pulled Logan back to her lips and kissed him fiercely. She only pulled back long enough to take his shirt off.

Logan was caught off guard when Veronica flipped them over so she'd be on top. She began straddling his hips very slowly while she leaned down and started kissing his neck.

"Ronnie, your shirt." He whispered into her ear as she continued to suck on his ear. Something that only she could do that drove him crazy.

Veronica pulled back allowing him to take off her shirt.

Logan sat up a bit, giving her butterfly kisses; he flipped them around more time. Trapping veronica underneath him; just when things began to get very heated, they were interrupted by his phone.

(It is breaking me down/ Watching the world spin round/ While my dreams fall down  
Is anybody out there?/ It is breaking me down/ No more friends around.../ And my dreams fall down.../ Is anybody out there?)

Logan groaned inwardly.

"Don't answer it." Veronica whispered into Logan's ear. It rang once more.

(It is breaking me down/ Watching the world spin round/ While my dreams fall down  
Is anybody out there?/ It is breaking me down/ No more friends around.../ And my dreams fall down.../ Is anybody out there?)

"Ignore it." She began moving her hands down to his waistband and carefully pulled the zipper down. Logan was nipping on her ear when the phone rang yet again.

(It is breaking me down/ Watching the world spin round/ While my dreams fall down  
Is anybody out there?/ It is breaking me down/ No more friends around.../ And my dreams fall down.../ Is anybody out there?)

"It's Dick. Let me answer it so we can get back to business." Logan said placing a chaste kiss on her lips.

Veronica pouted.

Logan made his way to his dresser where his phone was, "This better be good!" He growled into the speaker.

"You need to come bail me out."

"What?" Logan ran a hand through his hair. A sign things weren't looking too good.

"I got arrested."

Veronica had already put her shirt back on, stood up, and handed Logan's his. "Let's go get him."

They drove to the station in silence.

Logan was at the countered paying Dick's bail while Veronica went over to see him in the cell. She had already called Cliff to meet them there.

"What the hell were you thinking, Casablancas?" The first thing she asked when she spotted him behind bars.

"Wow! Ronnie, nice to see you too." He replied sarcastically.

"Don't!-" Veronica was inches away from him.

"Oh."

"Oh, what?" She asked getting even angrier.

"Sorry, for interrupting your Lovin' session." He said waggling his eyebrows.

"Shut it!" Warned Logan as he approached them.

One of the deputies came in to open the cell allowing Dick to get out.

"Cliff is waiting for us at the front desk." Logan commented.

Cliff finished signing out the remaining of the paperwork. "Mr. Casablancas, you were charged with a DUI, assaulting an officer, and bad wardrobe."

Veronica grinned.

"Court date is next week on Tuesday be there at eight a.m. I'll be waiting for you at the entrance. Don't be late."

"I'll make sure he gets there on time." Logan responded.

Dick flipped off his friend as he marched towards the entrance, "I'm not a fucking child!"

"Such pristine gestures, Dick." Countered Veronica.

A couple of days later at the courthouse.

"Your honor, my client has been going through a very rough patch in his life. I'm not saying that driving while under the influence was a brilliant idea, but as Deputy Sacks noted he was barely over the mark."

Dick was just sitting there in a black tux with a sky blue tie fidgeting with his fingers.

"I'm sure Mr. Casablancas has learned his lesson."

Deputy Sacks spoke, "He assaulted me, your honor."

"Objection. Your honor, it's called self-defense. Deputy Sacks pushed my client for no reason other than he wanted to show that he was above the law. What my client did is justified had it been under other circumstances. It wasn't a punch and weapons weren't used it was simply a shove."

"Mr. McCormack and Deputy Sacks, would you approach the bench."

Both Cliff and Sacks approached the judge.

"Deputy Sacks, did you push Mr. Casablancas without a reason?"

Sacks looked down at his feet.

"That was all I needed. I will be back in a couple of minutes with my decision. You may go back to your seats."

The judge walked out of the room and into her deliberation room.

"I think she is going to dismiss the assault charge. I feel she will give you a lesser sentence for the DUI." Cliff informed him.

When she came back out, "All rise, honorable Judge Guzman, is back." Recited her deputy.

Sacks, Cliff, Dick, and everyone else stood up.

"After careful consideration, I find Mr. Casablancas not guilty on the account of assault. It's been dismissed, so it won't appear on your record. On the other hand, I find you guilty on the charge of driving under the influence. Instead, of having you do jail time, and going over your file I've decided that the best route for you is community service."

'_Great! I'll be picking up trash on the highway. Just great…_'

"You will have to do three hundred hours of community service at Neptune Memorial Hospital. And since you need something that will be life changing so you can see what you are doing to yourself. You will be working in the children's ward."

'_Neptune Memorial Hospital? What the fuck?! Children…I can't work with children!_'

TBC…

**A special thanks to everyone who is still reading this fic and ho has reviewed:**

**Jillianfish:** Yes, he is. I think he can be a jackass, but at the same time he can also be a sweet heart. At least, I like to think so. Mac isn't too happy with him you are right about that. I have to say you are right about where I'm going with this. You get a Dick shaped cookie. Awesome job! Thanks for commenting!

**Bella: **He can be sometimes. Thanks for commenting!

**Tatsuki Uotani:** The slims were close to none, but there is a very important reason why I did this. Can you see why? Thanks for commenting!

**Beccakell13:** He can be sometimes more than others. If only he'd realize it! Thanks for commenting!

**Adja: **I'm sorry for once again leaving it there. I hope I didn't do that in this chapter and that at least some things were clarified. Thanks for commenting!

**Jenn6891:** I love seeing that side of him. I know he can like that most of the time, but he closes himself off… Aha! You hit a very important point there. One of the reasons Wallace moved was because there would be Less of Piz! You get a cookie. (I actually did like him. I thought he was very dorky and cute. Just NOT Veronica's type what-so-ever! Lol.) Thanks for commenting!

**Thank you all for reviewing! You guys all ROCK!! Remember you guys are my inspiration to continue and writing faster. **

**Don't forget to share you insights or thoughts about this chapter! I'm always open to ideas and suggestions. Please REVIEW!**


	5. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

A/N: Hey guys, I am super duper sorry for the delay on this chapter, life happened… But I'm back and ready to update more frequently. I hope you guys are still bearing with me…! I grammatical errors are mine, no beta. Enjoy!

**Chapter 3:**

Mac sat in her beetle debating whether or not to go in… She could always turn the car around and go to the beach instead. Call in sick. That would be useless since her mother saw her that same morning during breakfast even though she tried to avoid her at all costs. She wouldn't be happy to hear she ditched it the first day after promising to try it. It couldn't hurt could it?

She took a deep breath, got out of the car, and began walking towards the entrance of Neptune Memorial Hospital.

"Hello, I can help you Miss?" Asked the blonde headed receptionist.

"…Yeah, I'm Cindy Mackenzie. I'm here to do volunteer work in the children's ward."

"I'm Alana. Here is your badge, make sure to have it on you at all times while you're doing your hours. You also need to sign in and sign out here at this station every time you come in. Do you have any questions?"

"No."

"Go to the children's ward and ask for Nurse Sabrina, she's your supervisor."

"Thank you."

Mac hated hospitals. She hated everything about them; the stench of bleach covering every inch, the dull white sterilized walls, and death slowly creeping up taking someone when least expected.

She was deep in thought about how much she despised this placed she failed to notice a book on the floor which caused her to trip over it.

A girl about ten /eleven years old came rushing out of the room when she heard a clashing sound, "Oh, are you okay? I am so so sorry."

Mac looked up at the worried little girl, "Hey, its okay. I'm fine."

The girl looked down at her hands, "This is my entire fault. My fault. I am so useless. My mom was right." She was mumbling to herself.

Mac kneeled down in front of her, "This wasn't your fault it was an accident. I didn't get hurt see." She showed her elbows and knees. "I'm fine." She gave her a smile.

The girl just nodded.

"Danielle, why did you run out like that?" Asked a nurse approaching them.

"I heard a clashing sound and came to see what happened. I left my book on the floor." Mac handed her the book. "Sorry Sabrina."

"Sabrina?" Mac interrupted.

"Yes, can I help you?" Asked the nurse extending her hand.

Mac stood up and shook her hand, "I'm Mac, the new volunteer."

"Nice to meet you." She turned to Danielle, "Hon, go get the chess game and pick a table in the game room. I'll be there in a couple of minutes."

"Okay. Sorry, Miss Mac. I hope to see you again soon." With that she turned around and left.

"See you later Danielle." She waved at her with a sly smile.

"Mac, I'll give you a quick tour of the children's ward. Right this way."

Sabrina started out the tour by showing Mac the rooms of the children she would be working with. She then took her to the study room, game room, and therapy room.

They walked back to the game room and stopped right in front of the door. "Mac, a lot of the kids that are here may seem to be okay, but they have serious conditions. Our job is to help out in any way we can. We have the study room because a lot of them are missing lots of school and their parents don't want them to get behind. The game room serves as a distraction for them, a place where they can play, and bring out their skills through different mediums. The therapy room is very important to their recovery. You will be working with six children including Danielle. Your responsibilities will incorporate tutoring them, playing with them, and helping out during their therapy sessions. Do you have any questions?"

"Not at the moment."

Sabrina was paged to go to the nurses station, "Well, if you don't have any questions, why don't you go play with Danielle, and I'll see you later."

"Okay, thank you."

Sabrina left.

Mac walked into the game room, approached Danielle, and sat across from her, "Are you ready play?"

Danielle smiled at her, "Ready if you are."

"Let's play."

They played chess for about an hour; Mac was very impressed to see what a great player Danielle was.

"How old are you?" She asked very curiously.

Mac examined her before answering, "I just turned nineteen four months ago. How old are you?"

"I'm nine and three quarters. My birthday is in two weeks." She stated very happily. "Why are you sad?"

Mac was taken back, "Sad? I'm not sad." She tried to cover by giving her a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

"Your eyes are so sad." She put her hand on top of Mac's and squeezed it gently. "You are-"

"Danielle, it's time for your therapy. Come on." Called out a nurse from the entrance.

Danielle stood up, walked towards the door, and turned back slightly, "See you tomorrow?"

Mac simply nodded her head yes, but didn't meet Danielle's eyes as tears filled her eyes. She stood up and headed to the nearest bathroom.

Luckily, the bathroom was empty. She ran into the first stall and emptied the contents of her stomach. Tears slid slowly down her cheeks. The green bile burned her throat one last time. Mac sat on the cold tile floor hugging her knees to her chest letting the tears freely flow down her face.

She thought she was past this, moved on, and boy was she wrong. 'Am I really that transparent? Is it that obvious? Do I have it written across my forehead? Gosh!'

After the tears subsided, she stood up, and washed her face. Her eyes were red rimmed, puffy, and her skin was three shades lighter.

This wasn't going to be easy. She knew that. She just wasn't sure if she'd be able to do it. The question now was would she come back?

TBC…

**A special thanks to everyone reading the fic and those who are reviewing (you all get Logan or Dick life size cookies, depends on your preference):**

**Jillianfish:** It really depends on your preference. Do you prefer a witty obligatory psychotic jackass with a heart of gold or a confused strong willed surfer who only needs to find his way? Your choice. Dick is just very hurt and lost… All he needs is someone who will guide him find himself. Glad you love it! Thanks for commenting!

**Jenn6891:** You are certainly right! That means you deserve two cookies. Lol. There will be a couple of different things that will help them sort out their issues… Thanks for commenting!

**Tatsuki Uotani:** Glad you like the idea of Dick working with children or at least find it amusing. You nailed it! Thanks for the closet idea I'll definitely consider it and if I use it I will make sure to credit you for it. Thanks for commenting!

**Beccakell13:** I couldn't agree with you more. Lol. Dick is still a child in many ways. Hopefully, this will help him grow out some of those characteristics. Thanks for commenting!

**Thank you all for reviewing! You guys all ROCK!!**

**Don't forget to review! Let me know if you love it? Hate it? Any suggestions? Or ideas? You guys are my inspiration (muses- if you will). **


	6. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

A/N: Hey guys, here's another installment. As promised it's longer than usual chapters. I hope you guys are still bearing with me…? All grammatical errors are mine, no beta. Sorry. Hope you enjoy!

**This chapter is dedicated to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. Y****ou all get a Logan or Dick life size cookie, depending on your preference. ****Thank you all for reviewing! You guys ROCK!!**

**Chapter 5:**

Danielle was exhausted after her therapy. Chemotherapy was excruciating because it drained a lot of the person's energy. She was lying down on her bed reading "The Life of Pi."

MaDi

Dick was sitting in his truck cursing the heavens. He really didn't want to be there. If it wasn't for stupid Sacks, he wouldn't be stuck doing community service at Neptune Memorial Hospital.

'This fucking sucks!' He murmured stepping out of his truck.

Flashback

"_Mr. Casablancas, if you try bribing anybody at the hospital or paying someone to pretend to be you so you don't have to do the volunteer work again. You will spend the next three years of your life making sure not to drop your soap in the shower. Do I make myself clear?_"

'_She needs to get laid.' Dick thought as he looked up at the judge from his seat, _"_Yup_." _He popped the 'p' for emphasis._

"_Your honor what are the consequences of Mr. Casablancas' actions._"_ Asked Cliff politely. _

"_He will have to pay a three thousand dollar fine for trying to bribe the security officer of the hospital. That was a direct violation of the court order. He also just added another hundred and fifty hour's of community service. Bringing the total to four hundred and fifty. Due to your previous actions, Mr. Casablancas, there will be an appointed court clerk, who will check on you. He or she will pop in unannounced, when you least expect it. I suggest you do what you're supposed to._"

_Dick grunted._

End Flashback

Dick walked through the sterile hospital. "I'm here to do community service." He stated uninterested to the front desk attendant.

"I'm Karla. Here is your badge, make sure to have it on you at all times while you're doing your hours. You also need to sign in and sign out here at this station every time you come in. Do you have any questions?"

Dick shook his head 'no.'

"Go to the children's ward and ask for Nurse Sabrina, she's your supervisor."

Dick took the badge from her hand and made his way to the children's ward without another word.

He approached the nurses station cautiously, "I'm looking for Sabrina."

"May I ask who is looking for her?" The nurse inquired.

"Richard Casablancas."

"One moment please, while I page her."

Five minutes later, Nurse Sabrina made her way to the nurses station, "You must be Richard. Judge Guzman called personally to inform of us of your situation."

Dick rolled his eyes at her. 'This is going to be a long night.'

"Richard, I'll give you a quick tour of the children's ward. Right this way."

"It's Dick."

Sabrina started out the tour by showing Dick the rooms of the children he would be working with. She then took him to the study room, game room, and therapy room.

"Okay Dick, a lot of the kids that are here may seem to be okay, but they have serious conditions. Our job is to help out in any way we can. We have the study room because a lot of them are missing lots of school and their parents don't want them to get behind. The game room serves as a distraction for them, a place where they can play, and bring out their skills through different mediums. The therapy room is very important to their recovery. You will be working with six children. Your responsibilities will incorporate tutoring them, playing with them, and helping out during their therapy sessions. Do you have any questions?"

Dick shook his head 'no.'

A little girl came running towards them, she hugged Sabrina very tightly around the waist. "I didn't want you to go without my goodbye hug. You didn't forget did you?" She asked sorrowfully.

"Of course not honey." She replied hugging the girl back. She looked down at her watch, "I'm still here for another three hours."

Dick felt very uncomfortable. He wasn't used to witnessing displays of affection that didn't involve some sort of groping.

"Dick, this is Danielle. Danielle this is Dick. He is one of our new volunteers."

Danielle smiled shyly up at him. "Hi."

"Hey."

"Dick, why don't you go read Danielle a story-"

"I actually want to play the new video game we just got, Rock Band." Danielle intercepted. "I've always wanted to learn how to play the guitar."

"Sounds like fun. Don't forget you have to be in bed by seven. I'm going to go check on Matthew." Sabrina said already waking in the opposite direction.

Danielle grabbed Dick's hand and began pulling him towards the game room.

Fifteen minutes into the game, Dick looked down at Danielle, "So, why didn't you take guitar lessons?" The silence had been killing him. In a weird way, he felt very comfortable around this girl. She reminded of him of a certain brunette…

A pained expression covered her face as she answered, "My mom didn't let me." She put the guitar down and left the room.

"Danielle, where are you going?" Dick put the drumsticks down and chased after her.

He found her in the corner of her room.

Her knees were against her chest, her arms were wrapped around them, and her face was buried in her knees.

His heart broke a little. "Do you want to do something else?" He felt it was better to change the subject. He sat down next to her on the floor.

She looked up at him through tear filled eyes; she spoke softly, "My mom…" A couple of tears rolled down her face. "... Felt I wasn't smart enough to learn."

Dick was mad, mad at her mother, and at his. What right did that lady have telling her little girl she wasn't smart enough? To treat her little girl like that? To squash her dreams?

Flashback

"_Mom, I really want to go to space camp, this summer. Can I? Please…" Six year old __Dick asked his mom._

_His mom patted his head and chuckled, "I don't think so."_

_Dick's face fell. "Why not?" He pouted._

"_Why would you want to go there? Only smart people go there." She asked as she flipped through her magazine, not once looking up at him. _

_A couple of tears streamed down his face._

End Flashback

Dick didn't know what compelled him, but he put his arm around her shoulders. "Do you want me to tell you a story about a princess?"

She nodded her head 'yes.'

"Okay, but you have to wipe off those tears from that pretty face of yours first." He gave her a sweet smile.

Danielle did as she was told and went to lie down on her bed.

Dick grabbed the chair that was against the wall and put it next to her bed. 'Oh boy, what did I get myself into? I don't know any fucking stories.'

"Once upon a time… Snow White-"

"No. Tell me a story about a real princess. I already know that one." She interrupted.

"Okay?" Dick thought for a minute, trying to come up with a story. When an idea struck him…

"Once upon a time, long ago, there lived a beautiful Princess-"

"What's her name? What does she look like? Where is she from?-" She interrupted him excitedly.

"Danielle, do you want me to tell you the story or not?"

She nodded her head enthusiastically.

"Okay, then don't interrupt me." He shot her a quick glare as a warning. "Like I was telling you… Once upon a time, long ago there lived a beautiful Princess in a great big castle. She was about five feet five inches, had shiny brown hair a little bit past her shoulders, and her eyes were bluer than the ocean."

"She sounds beautiful." She cooed. "Her name?"

Dick thought for a minute, "Princess Cindy." He stated happily at his quickness.

"Princess Cindy, I like it." She smiled, stifling a yawn.

"She lived in a great big white castle near the beach in Apple Kingdom…"

MaDi

Her head hung low as the sun went down.

After the incident at the hospital, she needed to get out of there, and she couldn't go back home because her mom would ask her too many questions.

She headed to the only place that gave her comfort these days, the beach.

She had been sitting on that same spot on the beach for the past two hours. She needed to clear her head. She cried some more and she hated it. 'How many more tears am I going to shed? I want this hell to be over! I don't need this…'

Danielle had been able to see right through her.

That was still plaguing her. She didn't want to be transparent. She wanted to move on from that already.

She stood up and drove home with her mind already set.

MaDi

"Princess Cindy had a heart of gold. She was loved by those who surrounded her. Little did she know this really ugly and evil Wizard was conjuring up a plan to take over her Apple Kingdom…" He stopped when he heard a soft snore.

He looked up at her; her eyes were closed, she was breathing steadily, and snoring softly. He chuckled.

He was very proud of himself because for a couple of minutes he was able to help her forget about her evil mother.

He tucked her in before he left the room.

MaDi

"Honey, how was it? Did you like it? Well, tell me about it." Natalie squealed when Mac walked into the house.

"It was fine, mom." Mac replied already heading up the stairs.

"Nonsense!" She pulled her from her arm to the living room. "Tell me all about it."

Mac suppressed the need to roll her eyes.

"Well?" Her mother waited in patiently. She really wanted to hear about her daughter's day, hoping that it would really help her come out of her depression.

"I met my supervisor Nurse Sabrina and Danielle a patient I'm going to be working with. Today, I just got a tour of the place and played chess with Danielle. I'm going to be working with six patients. That's pretty much all that happened." She said getting up from the couch.

"How fun? I'm glad you enjoyed yourself." She said excitedly, clapping her hands.

Mac turned around and plastered a smile on her face, "Yup."

Her mother could act very enthusiastically if she wanted to.

Natalie stood up from the couch and walked behind Mac, "Are you going tomorrow, dear?" She asked from the bottom of the stairs.

"Yeah, mom." She said over her shoulder before she entered her room. A small smile tugging at her lips.

She wasn't willing to let that haunt her anymore, preventing her to move on, and live her life. _He_ wouldn't win… She wouldn't let _him_.

She was going to do this for herself.

TBC…

**Don't forget to review! Let me know if you love it? Hate it? Any suggestions? Or ideas? You guys are my inspiration (muses- if you will). **


	7. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

A/N: Hey guys, here's another installment. I'm super duper SORRY about the delay… Short story my computer crashed everything was erased (I had to start everything from scratch), work, school, and family kept me busy. But as promised it's longer than usual chapters. I will be posting the other stories this week. I hope you guys are still bearing with me…? All grammatical errors are mine, no beta. Sorry. Enjoy!

**This chapter is dedicated to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. Y****ou all get a Logan or Dick life size cookie, depends on your preference. ****Thank you all for reviewing! You guys ROCK!!!**

**Chapter 6: **

Mac wasn't going to let _him_ run her life. She wasn't willing to live her life scared and covered by a dark shadow hanging over her head. She was going to fight and enjoy every minute of it instead.

The next morning, Mac woke up early, took a shower, and got dressed.

This time when she arrived at Neptune Memorial hospital, she entered the same bleach reeking place with dull white sterilized walls and floors, with her head held up high.

"Good morning Alana." Her voice was firm and decisive.

"Morning Cindy, here's your badge."

Before Mac could correct her, Alana picked up the phone that had been ringing and began talking to the person on the other line.

MaDi

Danielle was in her room resting after another excruciating session of chemotherapy.

Mac knocked on the door before entering, "Hi Danielle."

"Hello." She spoke very softly. Her skin was pale and her lips were chapped.

Mac didn't like seeing her so exhausted and sick. "Do you want to play chess?"

Danielle shook her head 'no.' "I'm…really…sleepy." She yawned and closed her eyes.

Seconds later she was fast asleep.

Mac left her room and went to do her rounds with the other patients she was assigned to.

MaDi

Logan and Wallace were in the living room playing "Gears of War 2" when Dick walked in the through the back door of the house.

"I got next." He said already getting comfortable at the far end of the couch.

"Well, hello to you too, buddy." Logan stated sarcastically without looking at him.

Dick just rolled his eyes.

This interaction didn't go unnoticed by Wallace. It was obvious something was plaguing Dick, who had seemed very distant the last couple of weeks.

Logan turned to his friends, "So, how many nurses have you hit on-"

Dick sent him a death glare.

"How's the community service going?" Wallace interjected.

Dick turned to Wallace, but really looked at him. He could tell he wasn't being sarcastic or a total jerk, just genuine. Something he hasn't seen in a while from anyone except Danielle. Although, to some degree he knew he served it for acting the way he had been lately, but he couldn't help it.

He felt like shit for what happened that night with _her_ and didn't like pretending like everything was fine when it was killing him inside.

With all honesty and sincerity he could muster he answered the best he could, "Okay."

MaDi

"Great job Danielle!" Mac congratulated her for doing her homework correctly.

Danielle felt thrilled nobody really made her feel special besides Sabrina and some of the other hospital staff. Her cheeks turned bright red, "Thanks." She responded shyly.

"What do you want to do now to celebrate?" Mac asked putting everything away.

Danielle thought about it for a second before replying, "Can we please watch '_The Little Mermaid_'?"

"Sure."

Danielle ran to the door full of excitement and waited for Mac to join her. Her hand was stretched out so she could hold it.

Mac walked over to her a little surprised, but grabbed her hand anyways. They made their way to the Media room to watch the movie.

MaDi

"Hey Papa bear." Veronica greeted as she entered the boys home.

"Hi V, how'd you on the exam?"

She sat down next to him on the couch and let out a sigh, "Fine. I wish we were done with finals already. I wan to be in New York already."

"I bet your dad is really excited about visiting the stadiums, huh?"

"Are you kidding me? He has it all planned out." They chuckled. "He is finishing and closing all the pending cases."

"I forgot to tell you that we'll be joining you guys for the holidays."

"Yay! How? When?-"

Wallace laughed at her antics, "Breathe supafly, breathe. Let's just say you have a guy head over heals for you."

"He didn't." She was completely shocked.

"Oh, but he did." He insisted.

"Wow…" Her heart swelled. "Where is he?" She asked looking at her BFF.

"He's out surfing. He should be coming back soon though." Wallace looked at the clock. "Hey, I would love to stay and chat, but I have class in fifteen minutes. See ya later."

MaDi

"Babe, where are you?" Logan called out to her.

"I'm in the kitchen." She yelled back.

Logan's eyes lit up when he saw her in front of him covered in flour. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

She walked over to him, hands behind her back, and a look Logan couldn't decipher.

He arched an eyebrow at her.

She stopped right in front of him placed her flour-covered hands on either side of his face and pulled him towards her. The kiss started out slow. It was tender and soft. It began gaining momentum. A bite here and a lick there, but it still held the tenderness. Their tongues for once weren't fighting for dominance, but twisting and twirling like one. Their rhythm was both steady and wild.

Something neither had ever experienced before. Their toes were curled, hearts beating fast against their chests, blood pumping, it was magical.

At that particular moment they were just so in synch. They had become just one, each completing the other. That kiss was filled with so much love; it was the only way to describe it, to tell each other what they meant for one another.

When the need for air became evident they finally pulled apart both breathless and gasping for air.

Logan was the first to speak, "Wow… what was that for? Not that I'm complaining." He looked at her.

"A realization. An epiphany. Something that I have known for a while…"

"Which is?"

"…But I was too afraid to admit." She reached up once more, but this time caressed his left cheek.

Logan immediately leaned into her touch and kissed her palm.

"I love you, Logan Echolls."

That was music to his ears. He had waited such a long time to hear those words come out of her mouth and now that he had he stood there glued to his spot unable to move. Unable to reply.

"I love you so much." She repeated. She got on her tip toes and kissed him again, her hands were around his neck pulling him closer to her. His hands were around her waist instantly.

After pulling apart, he still held her close to his chest, he spoke softly into her ear, "Say it again."

"I love you Logan."

MaDi

Veronica's head rested on top of Logan's bare chest. She was lightly tracing the muscles near his belly, giving him small pepper kisses on his stomach, a big smile tugging on her lips.

"Mmm…" He lazily ran a hand through her hair.

She nibbled on the spot of his neck that always drove him crazy, "Thank you."

"That's a response I've never received before." He put his hand underneath his head while continuing to stroke her hair with the other.

She smacked him lightly on the chest, "Not what I was talking about."

He quirked an eyebrow at her, "Then what are you talking about?"

"You are the bestest boyfriend ever. For being one of a kind. For knowing me better than anyone." She gave him a quick peck on the lips. "For making the trip to New York even better by inviting Wallace and his family."

"He told you about that." He moved to rest his back against the headboard of the bed. "I-I only did it because I knew the holidays wouldn't be the same for you without your BFF."

She sat up as well and covered her bare chest, "Was that the only reason?"

He blushed and fidgeted with his hands, "Yes and no."

She quirked an eyebrow at him.

"The holidays mean so much to you. What better way than to spend it with everyone you love, with your family. Besides…" He looks at his hands, "It will give us some extra time to spend alone."

She couldn't help the smile that etched on her features, "Our family." She stated matter-of-factly before reaching over to capture his lips with hers.

MaDi

"Dick!" Danielle yelled excitedly from her place on the bed.

Sabrina was in there checking Danielle's blood pressure and writing the information on her charts. "Sweetie, remember you have to go to bed now because you have an early start tomorrow morning."

"A couple of more minutes please." She begged Sabrina, giving her best puppy eyes and pout.

Sabrina breathed out, "Only thirty more minutes."

"Thank you." She clapped her hands together in anticipation.

As Sabrina made her way towards the door she spoke to Dick quietly, "You made quit an impression on her. Great job!" She patted his shoulder.

Dick grinned. 'I'm finally doing something right.'

"Dick can you please continue the story from last time." She asked nervously, not sure if he would do it.

"Sure thing, kiddo." He walked over to her side of the bed, grabbed the chair, and sat down. "Let's see where did I leave off last time?"

"You said Princess Cindy had a great big white castle by the beach… I think it was Apple Kingdom?"

"That's right." He smiled. "Princess Cindy had a heart of gold. She was loved by those who surrounded her. Little did she know though that there was this really ugly and evil Wizard who was conjuring up a plan to take over Apple Kingdom…"

"Oh no!" She interrupted him.

"The evil Wizard had rotten yellow teeth because he never bothered to wash his teeth. He had short shaggy brown hair. His eyes were dark and disturbed; anything he looked down upon became tainted and lost. He was small, very thin, he seemed fragile, broken even, but he was dangerous.-"

"She can't be alone with _him_. She needs someone to protect her." She sounded both desperate and full of hope. "Please tell me there is a Prince?"

He sat there speechless for a couple of minutes. He had never really thought about this story at all, in all honesty he was making it up as he went, but that thought never occurred to him. 'Of course, fairytale stories always have a Prince and it's usually who you least expect it.'

"A Prince? Yeah, there was a Prince." He didn't have a name.

Her eyes lit up, "What's his name?"

"Its Malc- no Prince Natha-" It needed to sound realistic, worthy even.

Danielle shook her head no. The Prince had to have a nice name. A name that… "I got it!" She yelled happily.

Dick looked at her expectantly, waiting for her to continue.

"Prince Richard." She smiled brightly.

"Wait, what?" Dick was completely taken by surprise. Out of all the names she could have chosen she chose his.

"The Prince for the story should be named Richard."

"Why Richard?" He asked unable to contain himself.

"It has a nice ring to it. Cindy and Richard. It just goes together like peanut butter and jelly or spaghetti and meatballs. You can't have one without the other."

She explained her argument in the simplest form.

He nodded his agreement, "The Prince's name was Richard."

"What did he look like?"

He was stumped once more. 'What did I get myself into?'

"I bet he was extremely handsome." She smiled. "He was probably tall, crystal blue eyes with blonde hair. Am I right?"

Dick couldn't deny her anything. She seemed too happy, too excited, and it was all because of him. He couldn't explain what he was feeling, but he sure as hell liked it. It was a nice change. Maybe this was a beginning, a way to mend things, a way for him to fix his mistakes even if it was a small step to the long road ahead of him.

He didn't even realize that she had just described him. "Yeah."

"I have a really good feeling about this story."

There was a knock on the door before he could continue on with the story and Sabrina stepped in, "Sorry sweetie, but it's time for you to go to sleep.-"

"A little long-"

"No can do young lady. You have an early chemo session tomorrow."

She nodded her head in understanding. "I'll see you tomorrow, right Dick?"

He looked at her hopeful eyes, "I'll be here tomorrow."

"Good night. Be careful." She said while Sabrina tucked her in.

"Nite."

MaDi

Dick wasn't sure what to think. He didn't know for certainty when things had shifted, when he felt the need to be there for that little girl. Maybe it was the day he found out the way her mother treated her. Maybe it was when she seemed to care.

He was turning the corner of the corridor lost in his thoughts when he heard someone yell his name, "Dick!"

He turned around to see Nurse Sabrina catching up to him, "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

He shifted uncomfortably on his shoes, "Sure, what's up?"

"One of the morning volunteers called to say he wasn't going to make it tomorrow morning and I was wondering if you would mind filling in?"

"I-"

"We have- tomorrow is going to be a very hectic day. You would be able to do a couple of extra hours, if you don't have anything to do."

"Yeah, sounds fine."

MaDi

"Mac, Sebastian is cheating." Complained Danielle. "He keeps standing in front of the television so I can't see what buttons to press."

"Sebastian, I need you to sit down on the chair please." Mac said, pointing to the chair.

"Only if you play with us." He countered while handing her the microphone.

"Only if I get to choose the song." Piped out Danielle.

Mac and Sebastian shared a look before answering simultaneously, "Okay."

"How about 'When I'm gone' by 3 Doors Down?" Danielle suggested.

"I think I've heard it before." Added Sebastian.

"I like it." Verified Mac.

A small group of patients had former around them.

They began playing; Danielle started with the guitar, Sebastian with the drums, and Mac waited for the lyrics to appear.

_There's another world inside of me  
That you may never see  
There're secrets in this life  
That I can't hide  
Somewhere in this darkness  
There's a light that I can't find  
Maybe it's too far away...  
Or maybe I'm just blind...  
_

Dick had just gotten to hospital and was making his way through the corridor looking for Danielle.

"They're in the game room." Confirmed an older nurse.

_Or maybe I'm just blind..._

Dick immediately recognized that voice, who would have thought Mac had a singing voice.

_So hold me when I'm here  
Right me when I'm wrong  
Hold me when I'm scared  
And love me when I'm gone  
Everything I am  
And everything in me  
Wants to be the one  
You wanted me to be  
I'll never let you down  
Even if I could  
_

Dick stood there in the doorway just watching _her_, just watching them. Danielle was ripping it on the guitar, practice did make a difference. Sebastian was trying hard to keep up, and Mac sounded great.

_I'd give up everything  
If only for your good  
So hold me when I'm here  
Right me when I'm wrong  
You can hold me when I'm scared  
You won't always be there  
So love me when I'm gone_

Love me when I'm gone...

When your education X-Ray  
Cannot see under my skin  
I won't tell you a damn thing  
That I could not tell my friends  
Roaming through this darkness  
I'm alive but I'm alone  
Part of me is fighting this  
But part of me is gone

'That is exactly how I feel. I wonder if that's how she feels too…' He thought to himself, noticing the change in her voice. Signaling that he might be right.

_Or maybe I'm just blind..._

_Love me when I'm gone..._

Love me when I'm gone  
When I'm Gone  
When I'm Gone  
When I'm Gone

'I promise I will make things right.' Dick vowed to himself.

All the other patients clapped happily.

"My turn." Yelled a little boy in a wheelchair.

"Me too." A girl with red hair volunteered.

"Let's let them play. Danielle and Sebastian there is homework to be completed." Mac wiped a tear away from her cheek before the kids could see.

"Ah, do we have to?" Both kids complained.

"Yes, you do. Now, please go get your stuff from your cubby and meet me in the study room. I need to go get Charles and Elsie."

Dick quickly hid in one of the vacant hospital rooms down the hallway so Mac couldn't see him. He wasn't ready to see her. He needed to prepare himself and what he was going to say to her. He didn't want to disappoint or hurt her anymore than he had already done.

TBC...

**Don't forget to review! I wasn't too sure of this chapter... Let me know if you love it? Hate it? Any suggestions? You guys are my inspiration (muses- if you will). **


End file.
